Manchester City: Hart, Sagna, Kompany, Mangala, Kolarov, Toure, Fernandinho, Nasri, Silva, Sterling, Bony.
Juventus: Buffon; Lichtsteiner, Bonucci, Chiellini, Evra, Sturaro, Hernanes, Pogba, Cuadrado, Mandzukic, Morata
In the build up to Manchester City’s latest run at The Champions League, much of the talk has predictably been about recent disasters in the competition.
Manchester City have learnt the brutal truth that, while finance can fast track your success at home, there is no amount of money that can buy the experience required to mount a serious challenge for arguably the biggest club prize in world football.
But, having suffered several spankings and too many missed opportunities so far in Europe, we do get the sense that Manchester City are about to give a good account of themselves at last in The Champions League.
Their start to the league campaign has been faultless – in stark contrast to last season’s Champions League runners up Juventus, who have yet to register a win in Serie A this season after three games.
Juventus have also lost the likes of Arturo Vidal.
But, crucially, they still have Paul Pogba on the books and he can drive forward into the heart of a Manchester City defence which needs to be on its game.
It should be one of the fixtures of the round and we will certainly be tuning in for a game which is almost impossible to predict the result of.
But, without wishing to apply the kiss of death, we are going for a narrow Manchester City win.
